The present invention relates to devices containing rotating members for heating fluids.
Various designs exist for devices which use rotors or other rotating members to increase pressure and/or temperature of fluids (including, where desired to convert fluids from the liquidous to gaseous phases). U.S. Pat. No. 3,791,349 issued Feb. 12, 1974 to Schaefer, for instance, discloses an apparatus and method for production of steam and pressure by intentional creation of shock waves in a distended body of water. Various passageways and chambers are employed to create a tortuous path for the fluid and to maximize the water hammer effect.
Other devices which employ rotating members to heat fluids are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,720,372 issued Mar. 13, 1973 to Jacobs which discloses a turbing type coolant pump driven by an automobile engine to warm engine coolant; U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,764 issued Jul. 11, 1961 which discloses a fluid agitation-type heater; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,758,207 issued May 13, 1930 to Walker which discloses a hydraulic heat generating system that includes a heat generator formed of a vaned rotor and stator acting in concert to heat fluids as they move relative to one another.
These devices employ structurally complex rotors and stators which include vanes or passages for fluid flow, thus resulting in structural complexity, increased manufacturing costs, and increased likelihood of structural failure and consequent higher maintenance costs and reduced reliability.